If you’ve ever been to a Brazilian restaurant, they bring skewers of all kinds of meat to the table. A carnivore’s delight. That is the inspiration for cooking the thighs this way. Besides, the thighs keeping flat and cooking more evenly, it just looks cool. The sugar and balsamic caramelize the chicken. If you prefer not to use the sugar, reduce the amount of lime juice. Enjoy! Barb

4 tsp fish sauce (the fish sauce does not smell fishy, just adds a depth of flavor), optional

Metal skewers to cook the chicken

Directions:

Wash and pat dry the chicken breasts.

Add the remaining ingredients except the extra cilantro garnish and the skewers to a bowl. Mix well. Add the chicken to a zip-lock bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Close the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken. Place on a plate and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Flip the bag a few times while it marinates, ifpossible.

When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat the grill on high.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. Placing the chicken on a plate or other flat surface, carefully skewer one edges of a chicken thigh with a skewer. Place another skewer through the other edge. If you use a back and forth motion, it helps to get the chicken on the skewer. The chicken thigh should be “suspended” between the two sides of the skewers. Add another chicken thigh to each side. Add as many thighs as desired, but be sure the entire skewer can fit on the surface area of your grill (This tip was learned from experience!).

When the grill is hot, carefully sear the chicken on the first side for about 3-5 minutes. Using hot pads and a big spatula, flip the chicken skewers over and sear the other side. Reduce the heat until the chicken is done, about 5-10 minutes (Thighs vary in thickness, so this is a guideline). An instant read thermometer should read 160-165 degrees placed in the thickest area. Be aware that the chicken does not all cook evenly as the heat is hotter in some places than in others on most grills. Check several thighs to be sure it’s done.

Remove the chicken from the grill and cover with foil. Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes. When ready to serve, place the skewered chicken on a cutting board and cut through the middle of the thighs. Then, remove the chicken from each skewer. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve.